Last week I rode Mt. Hamilton around to Livermore and back, but the evidence photos are in my friend’s cell phone. We saw snow at the summit melting furiously in the sun and much more snow in the shadows.

The spring several miles down the backside is so strong that it’s missing the trough! We stopped for the obligatory drink before heading down in perfectly mild weather.

The big disappointment was wildflowers. There weren’t many to speak of. I guess it’s caused by the dry weather followed by heavy rain, which so far hasn’t been enough to set things right. However, the countryside is green and all the creeks are flowing.

As a departure from tradition, we took the southern route: Concannon Blvd., Arroyo Rd., Wetmore Rd. to Vallecitos Rd. and then E. Vineyard Ave. to Pleasanton. I quit riding this way in favor of Stanley Blvd. a million years ago. With the bike lane/road widening on westbound Stanley we didn’t want to risk road repair headaches.

It comes as no surprise south Livermore is built out with luxury homes, but at least the roads are wide in most places and there are bike lanes. Distance is equal.

With construction of the new earthquake-improved dam under way at Calaveras Reservoir we saw lots of trucks parked next to poppy hill. Calaveras Road is closed weekdays to all vehicles, bike included, until mid-June. We stopped to see the bald eagle and its chicks in the high-voltage power line tower.

Today’s ride brought cooler temps, especially on the west descent of Mt. Madonna Road to Corralitos, where the ocean fog had drifted in. I stopped for a sausage sandwich at the store and then headed up Eureka Canyon, which did not suffer any slides this year, hurray.